NHTSA Complaint #10058361 — 2001 VOLKSWAGEN NEW BEETLE

WHILE DRIVING MY 2001 VW NEW BEETLE THE CAR SUDDENLY LOST POWER AND BEGAN TO SHAKE VIOLENTLY. I IMMEDIATELY SLOWED DOWN BUT THE CAR CONTINUED TO IDLE VERY ROUGHLY. THE ESC AND CHECK ENGINE LIGHTS ILLUMINATED. I PULLED THE CAR OFF THE HIGHWAY AND TURNED OFF THE ENGINE. I WAS ABLE TO RE-START THE ENGINE AND DRIVE THE CAR HOME. I TOOK THE CAR TO THE DEALER AND WAS INFORMED THAT THE O2 SENSOR AND THE THROTTLE BODY HAD FAILED AND REQUIRED REPLACEMENT. THE TOTAL COST WAS $1097.00 AND WAS MY RESPONSIBILITY EVEN THOUGH THE CAR IS A 2001 MODEL WITH JUST OVER 18000 MILES ON THE ODOMETER. A CALL TO THE VOLKSWAGEN "CUSTOMER ADVOCATE" CENTER PROVED HOPELESS AS THEY REFUSED TO PAY FOR THE REPAIR. I WAS TOLD THAT THE 2001 VW BEETLE CAME WITH A 2 YEAR 24000 MILE WARRANTY. THE LACK OF WARRANTY LEADS ME TO BELIEVE THAT VW KNEW THESE CARS WERE OF SUBSTANDARD QUALITY FROM THE DATE OF MANUFACTURER. *JB